Dear Editor,

I note the comment in the March 14, 2016 edition of the Jamaica Observer that the new Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie has directed his comments to Labourites.

I would like to remind the minister that one of the reasons the People’s National Party (PNP) just lost the last election was because of its inability or unwillingness to communicate to all Jamaicans in a timely and transparent manner, and its tendency to address only Comrades. In addition to communication with the people, as an elected Government, the responsibility is not to Labourites or Comrades, but all Jamaicans.

This was unacceptable behaviour from the PNP, it will not be acceptable from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) either.

I would also like to suggest to the minister that the time for pronouncements and accusations is past. We have had over 50 years of accusations between the PNP and JLP, and Jamaica has nothing to show for that course of action.

I have appreciated the tone and approach to collaborative engagement between the Government and the people of the country since the election, but we cannot and should not return to the posturing game to show up anyone.

Many people are eager to see the actions put in place to fix the sorry state of the entire country as a whole, not just the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and I am tired of the finger-pointing. Let us try to fix the problems we find wherever we find them.

Besides being a minister, all MPs are legislators — an unfortunate circumstance of our constitution — therefore they can put legislation in place to make sure that actions taken to fix the operation of government entities remain in the positive column.

Hugh M Dunbar

Architect

hmdenergy@gmail.com